How does hemp oil affect cancer?

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Although some research has indicated that canniboids and other ingredients in hemp oil may kill some types of cancer cells in a laboratory setting, there is no known effect on the disease when taken by human cancer patients, reports the American Cancer Society. However, it may have a positive effect on some of the symptoms caused by cancer or other treatments.

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Chemotherapy often causes nausea, vomiting and lack of appetite, which can be dangerous and unpleasant for the patient. Certain chemicals found in marijuana and some types of hemp oil often alleviate nausea and stimulate the appetite, according to the American Cancer Society. These substances may also help relieve pain, lessening the amount of narcotics or other pain medication a patient needs. Marijuana products also tend to have fewer side effects compared to many other drugs currently in use, although there are still risks.

Hemp oil has been advertised as a cure for cancer, which is not true, notes The Globe and Mail. Some patients have avoided seeking medical treatment because they believe that hemp oil can cure them, and this has resulted in some avoidable or premature deaths. Although hemp oil and related compounds are being studied for their cancer-fighting effects, those studies are still in the earliest stages as of 2015. There have been promising results in some animals, but early human studies are inconclusive, and there is no evidence to believe that hemp oil fights cancer when consumed by humans.